Couple held over baby death were loving parents, say neighbours

A baby boy who died after suffering suspected abuse at the hands of his teenage mother and her partner was well-loved, neighbours claim.

They said the family believes four-month-old Jayden died as a result of a head injury sustained at birth.

Jayden died at Great Ormond Street Hospital on Saturday. His 17-year-old mother Chana Al-Alas, from the Barnsbury Estate in Islington, and her partner Rohan Wray, 19, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and have been bailed until mid-August.

Shocked friends and neighbours of the couple said today that they were "wonderful parents" and said Ms Al-Alas's family believe the baby died because of a head injury at birth.

One neighbour said: "I went and saw Chana's aunt the day Jayden died and she just broke down in tears. She begged me not to believe any of the rumours going around and said Jayden died because of a fractured skull he picked up during his birth. Chana had a really difficult labour and they had to use forceps.

"All sorts of terrible rumours are going round the estate. People are saying that Jayden had two broken legs, a broken arm and a fractured skull. We'll have to wait for the post-mortem before we know anything.

Rohan Wray moved into his partner’s house

"All I know is that they loved that boy. They were completely devoted to him."

Ms Al-Alas was known to social services and had been on a special NHS course for vulnerable parents after Jayden was born. The council said Jayden was never on its child protection register.

Ms Al-Alas became pregnant while studying at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school, a high-achieving state school recently visited by Michelle Obama.

Baby Jayden

Her partner had recently moved into the flat she shared with her mother Catrina, 43, sister Rhanie, 15, and her mother's partner. One neighbour said Mr Wray had been forced to move into Ms Al-Alas's council flat after he was "disowned" by his family, who live in Hackney. The neighbour, who lives in the same block, said: "I saw Jayden a couple of weeks ago. He was a beautiful little boy with big bright eyes. He grabbed on tight to my finger. Now I can't stop thinking that he might have been calling out for help.

"What if we were down here laughing while that child was being hurt? I heard that Chana's boyfriend moved into their house after he was disowned by his family."

An Islington council spokesman said a serious case review into the death would almost certainly be carried out.

Detectives from Scotland Yard's Child Abuse Investigation Command are now investigating the death. A post-mortem will be carried out on Monday.